


Nobody truly won...

by Daringdoublebassist



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Mental Health Awareness Writing Challenge, One Shot, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Survivor Guilt, Wordcount: 0-100
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-02-27 09:07:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18735949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daringdoublebassist/pseuds/Daringdoublebassist
Summary: Especially not her.





	1. Wanda

The reunions spanned each and every city, lighting the skies for days. Street parties, funfairs, state holidays rattled into being. Whizz-popping fireworks interrupted her sleep, and chased away her dreams of those moments before.

No-one had asked if she'd wanted to come back. She wasn't given a choice. 

'You are lucky.' 

It was put to her like a great honour - like she truly was one of the lucky few. But, in truth, none of them beat the odds; nobody won. 

And especially not her.

For he was still gone.


	2. Rhodey

Her hugs. He most missed her hugs. The way he could wrap both arms so securely around her waist. The tickle of her hair – softer since she’d given up dying it. That throaty little chuckle, and soft eyes, and fond curl to her lips. 

He missed it all. 

He had never expected to make a friend in her, but she had a way of just getting into your soul. She’d take up residence there, and you’d be a better person for it. You’d be happier.

But then her soul was taken. Stolen.

And it was like his had perished too.


	3. Steve

[Even if there's a small chance that we can undo this... we owe it to everyone who is not in this room to try.]

Her words rattled around his skull, smashing over his few remaining nerves, careening between his ears. Painful was an understatement. It had been torturous, landing back in 2023 and looking to his immediate left to find it empty of the person he knew and adored. It had broken him in a way the Disappearances had not. 

Natasha Romanoff, his first true equal, second friend-cum-lover, third ray of sunlight in the icy darkness of his nightmares, was gone. 

He didn’t even say goodbye.

It was for this reason that he once again donned the plastic suit and stepped up to the transporter. Dare he repeat her words to the men surrounding him? Her jolly ‘see you in a minute’ still felt too raw. 

Steve took a breath. He lifted the hammer and shouldered the shield. The intended date flashed up on his watch. He reset it. 

He hoped there was a chance to undo this; he owed it to Natasha to try.


	4. Clint

He saw her fall every single night. And every night he knew...

The recurring nightmare that didn't end when he awoke. The tears he shed against his wife's freshly laundered pillows. The way his heart tried to explode out of his chest every time a child asked for her. No-one would ever remember her quite like he would.

Years 1 and 2 were a blur of rage and violence. He avoided making contact for if they met, he knew he'd probably say something stupid.

In year 3, he did.

"I wish he'd taken you, Natasha! Not them!"

From the way her eyes creased in the corners and her breath zipped between her teeth, he knew he'd over-stepped. She had nodded, gone to his fridge, and pulled out a beer. It was half empty before she replied.

"Me too."

It was more than he deserved to hear. But she was in the habit of giving all of herself - he had taught her that behaviour. 

"Love as much and as freely as you can, Nat. You'll never regret love."

He shouldn't have told her that. 

She loved them, and they had all hurt her in various   
(un- and intentional) ways. 

She just loved them too much. 

For she had finally achieved what each of them wanted.

How could he even begin to tell his family what he'd done? Her death - it was all his fault.


End file.
